


The Power Dynamic Between Anakin and Padme

by WingletBlackbird



Series: Anakin and Padme's Relationship [3]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Archived From Tumblr, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, F/M, Meta, Meta Essay, Nonfiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-27
Updated: 2019-11-27
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:48:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21577087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WingletBlackbird/pseuds/WingletBlackbird
Summary: How Anakin and Padme were learning to become a couple.
Relationships: Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker
Series: Anakin and Padme's Relationship [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1555018
Comments: 2
Kudos: 29





	The Power Dynamic Between Anakin and Padme

**Author's Note:**

> This is an adaption of a Tumblr discussion between myself, redrikki and liveandletrain.

When it comes to the nature of power, equality, and respect between Anakin and Padme, one must first consider that Padme is extremely used to wielding power. The most intriguing thing about Padme, in my opinion, is that while she is not corrupted by power, she is accustomed to it. She was a prodigy and is used to giving orders from a very young age. She is also quite isolated. She is surrounded by subordinates, and, however close they are, they are subordinates. She’s in control. Moreover, as most people she sees around her she perceives are corrupted, ignorant, or just plain stupid, she tends to automatically assume she knows best and barks out orders. As a consequence, Padme does suffer from some degree of hubris. On the part of Anakin, he is deeply insecure. Anakin can rarely help but place his own desires as beneath those of his loved ones, especially if they seem to love him back. He is terrified both of losing people, and of not being liked. This is how their relationship begins, but not how it ends. Indeed, we can watch how their relationship progresses.

In the beginning of Padme's relationship with Anakin, she is the one in charge. She gives orders, and expects obedience. She does not like it when he talks back to her. Anakin, of course, more or less accepts this. However, when he is not under Padme's authority any more as part of her security team, and he's gained more confidence from his command, we do observe a slight shift in their relationship. Anakin is not truly a subordinate after all; he is her husband. This means that Padme cannot order him like she would her handmaidens, nor can she approach him the way she does her Senate colleagues. (After AotC, we never really observe Padme try to give Anakin orders again, (although she would probably rather he follow her lead.)

Hence, their relationship does shift more to one of equals, if not as overtly as one might hope. At this point in time, Padme might not listen or accept Anakin's position on politics; she rarely does. She might never agree with him or go along with his ideas. She knows better! However, having someone contradict her that she _can’t_ technically give orders to is something strange and new to her and continued to happen more often as their relationship grew. Anakin continued to gain confidence, (through her support, distance from the Council, and his wartime prestige), to actually voice a counter opinion. And yes, she might shut it down a lot, (and Anakin will bite his tongue and go along with it), but she can’t outright order him to do anything, and he makes his displeasure known, (even if only through pouting), which is new for Padme to deal with. Over time, it will force her to grow.

Another thing to consider, is that perhaps one of the more significant factors that ties Anakin and Padme together is that they both understand the difficulties of external pressure and expectation. Anakin understands Padme on a level that few, if any, ever have because he was a prodigy too. (It also helps that he’s Force-Sensitive) The facade she wears in public, or even with her friends and family, doesn’t work with him. She simply can’t defend against that and she isn’t used to bring vulnerable...which is what you are when someone sees through a mask. She can dismiss his politics, but she can’t dismiss his understanding of her anxieties and while she can dismiss a handmaiden for “hovering,” she can’t dismiss him in the same fashion: Her husband. She isn’t dealing with a colleague bound by social niceties; she isn’t dealing with a subordinate; she’s dealing with Anakin, and that is someone who exists on levels she just isn’t used to. This does not mean that she will necessarily listen, or do as he asks, (indeed, Padme during the Clone Wars continues to operate on the default that _she_ knows best.) However, it is a new dynamic one she is, frankly, unsure about how to navigate, although she is unlikely to admit that.

Consider now RotS, as things continue to progress, and their relationship deepens, Anakin shoots Padme down when she suggests that he talk to Palpatine and she gives in. She….let’s it go…for whatever reason, which is not typical when compared to how they interact in AotC. She starts to reason with him like she’s never really done before…with anyone. She used to ram her opinion at Anakin and expect him to agree and follow along. Anakin also gets upset when she starts “sounding like a Separatist” and he tells her so. He backs down when she gets upset in turn, but he doesn’t back down from his opinion. He's merely stopped talking and held her. By the time RotS comes around, Anakin is submitting less than ever and Padme, for her part, is talking more…not enough, but more. Anakin has had a Padawan, and has grown from command…and Padme is forced to acknowledge this. In fact, had she not said “hold me,” we may have gotten our first proper discussion between them where they seriously discussed their perspectives and counted each others opinions. Padme and Anakin have never had a relationship like this before (as established above.) They were still learning to navigate. (And they hardly had time together to learn.) Additionally, as Padme is suffering some blows to her pride from missing the warning signs of Palpatine's, she is perhaps in more a state to learn to listen than ever. Anakin has gained confidence; Padme has been somewhat humbled.

There is an additional dynamic shift in RotS: Now Anakin makes decisions that Padme doesn’t like without regard to her opinion on the subject on more than one occasion. Yes, it is partially his patented passive-aggressive defiance, but he also plainly and openly ignores her requests in RotS: Outright. He says “Don't ask me to do that.” and that he “won’t do that,” and that if she wants that done she “can make a motion in the Senate where it belongs.” That’s _not_ submissive. That’s forceful. Padme accepts this, she tries to talk more about what she thinks is going on, but not only does she not order him, she doesn’t push it either. She actually discusses her personal concerns with him instead which she doesn’t really do with anyone, and this is the closest they ever get in canon to treating each other truly as equals in their relationship. (It isn’t a case of him just submitting to Palpatine instead of Padme either at this point, because he could have just talked to Palpatine like Padme asked, and have Palpatine say, No, than go home and say “Well, I tried.” He’s honestly just not having it. This is him being non submissive.)

Had Anakin not fallen, I think the ramifications of the above would have spiraled into a discussion/argument about how we can’t keep thinking we know better than the other and who shuts whom out. It is what I would have liked to have seen at some point: How Anakin and Padme continue to humble and better each other and learn to work together. Sadly, they never got much of a chance. I think Anakin and Padme were a couple with a lot of potential who were learning to work together. By the time their relationship ended, Anakin was learning how to talk about his concerns and not assume he must always play second fiddle, and Padme was finally learning to slow down and listen to him. It's a shame we never got to see them grow as a couple who brought out the best in each other. 


End file.
